Today in San Francisco History - San Francisco gets its name: SFist Today in San Francisco History - San Francisco gets its name by sfist_richard in Miscellaneous on Jan 30, 2009 9:13 am Timecapsule: January 30, 1847 Yerba Buena That was the name given to the tiny bayside settlement back in 1835 , a name taken from the wild mint growing on the sand dunes that surrounded it. And if it hadn't been for the lucky first name of an elegant Spanish noblewoman, that's what the city of San Francisco would still be called today. Our magnificent bay had already worn the name of San Francisco since 1769 -- but though some in Yerba Buena apparently used it as a nickname, it never occurred to its motley population to make "San Francisco" official. In July of 1846 Yerba Buena was just 11 years old, a sleepy hamlet in Mexican territory with just about 200 residents. The place woke up some when Captain John B. Montgomery sailed into the harbour, marched into the center of town and raised the Stars and Stripes.

The Mexican alcalde and other officials split town before Montgomery's marines arrived, so -- at least as far as Yerba Buena was concerned -- the annexation of California in the Mexican-American war took place without a fight. Don Mariano Vallejo, Dr. Robert Semple and the Bear Flag connection A couple of weeks earlier up in Sonoma, the rancho of Comandante General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo had been invaded by a ragtag collection of American frontiersman. They were attempting to strike a blow for California's independence from Mexico. Don Vallejo, one of the most powerful and wealthy men in the Mexican territory of Alta California, was arrested -- kidnapped, perhaps -- and transported to Sutter's Fort on the Sacramento River. You'll undoubtedly recognize this as a scene from the infamous " Bear Flag Revolt " -- a terrific story, but we're in grave danger of digressing here. In fact, we mention it only because the route taken by Vallejo's captors led them across some of the General's considerable Mexican land-grant holdings, specifically those around the convergence of the Sacramento River and San Francisco Bay.

One of the more civilized members of that Bear Flag group was one Doctor Robert Semple , an energetic, well-educated and nearly seven-foot-tall Kentuckian. Doctor Semple was also a man with vision, and he carefully noted the beauty -- and strategic potential -- of this location. About six months later, once hostilities had settled down a bit, Doctor Semple and his one-time prisoner Don Vallejo struck an agreement to found a new city on that spot -- right on the northern shore of the Carquinez Straits . "Francisca", new metropolis of the West On January 19th, 1847, Vallejo deeded a five-square-mile tract of his lands to Semple. Don Vallejo made one important stipulation to this deal; that the new city be named for his beloved wife: "Doña Francisca Benicia Carrillo." Doctor Semple agreed. The name would honour Señora Vallejo, but also -- and more importantly to the enterprising Semple -- associate itself with the great San Francisco Bay. The city he envisioned as the new metropolis of the West would be dubbed "Francisca". Lt.

Bartlett sees the future The agreement was officially recorded in Yerba Buena by the new American alcalde -- Captain Montgomery's second in command, Lieutenant Washington Bartlett. Though Bartlett's position in Yerba Buena was only temporary, he had apparently already fallen under the patriotic influence of his new surroundings. Washington Bartlett, like Semple, realized that names carry symbolic weight. Association with the already well known San Francisco Bay -- and the mission -- would help the upstart "Francisca" attract shipping, commerce, and national renown. Yerba Buena had grown to a population of barely 500 at this point, and there was absolutely nothing that guaranteed its future as the primary city of the West -- or even of the Bay Area. The formation of "Francisca" right across the bay had real potential to eclipse the little town altogether.

As one writer tells it, "Alcalde Bartlett went into executive session with himself", and solved the problem by scratching out the following decree : AN ORDINANCE WHEREAS, the local name of Yerba Buena, as applied to the settlement or town of San Francisco, is unknown beyond the district; and has been applied from the local name of the cove, on which the town is built: Therefore, to prevent confusion and mistakes in public documents, and that the town may have the advantage of the name given on the public map; IT IS HEREBY ORDAINED, that the name of SAN FRANCISCO shall hereafter be used in all official communications and public documents, or records appertaining to the town. - Washington Bartlett, Chief magistrate January 30, 1847 Doctor Semple, who in addition to his city-planning activities had launched California's first newspaper a few months earlier, used it to splutter, bloviate and cry foul in a hundred different ways. But the deed was done, and "Francisca" was out. The new town would have to settle for Señora Vallejo's second name: " Benicia ".

And that, of course, is the name it bears to this day ... as well as a long-standing grudge against the city across the bay. California's hidden Gold Fever infection wouldn't erupt for another year and a half, but when it did, it would be the name of San Francisco that would echo around the world. Contact the author of this article or email tips@sfist.com with further questions, comments or tips. District 4 | The History and Archaeology of Yerba Buena Island - Military History The History and Archaeology of Yerba Buena Island - Military History 1868-1878 The Army Post and Depot By the start of the Civil War in 1861, plans were being made to install a battery for the defense of the Bay on Yerba Buena Island, but these were delayed and it wasn't until three years after the end of the Civil War that a military post and depot were built on the island's eastern shore. The post included a fog signal and an octagonal lighthouse (constructed in 1875) that still stand today. The facility consisted of a dozen buildings, and could house approximately 150 men.

Additional information about this period can be found at (Link in bright blue) The post was abandoned in 1878, and only a caretaker lived there until 1891 when a fire destroyed many of the Army buildings. 1891-1930 Army Engineer Torpedo Station In 1891, the Army began construction of a facility to assemble and store floating mines-which they called torpedoes. These would be placed into the Bay via cable if needed for defense. The Torpedo Station was abandoned in the 1930s. 1896-1923 US Naval Training Station In 1896, Congress established a US Naval Training Station on Yerba Buena Island-the first naval training facility on the west coast. The Navy contracted for the construction of a wharf, road, barracks, electrical plant, and commandant's house at what had been the Post and Depot. During this time land was leveled for a parade ground and buildings, and fill up to eight feet deep was used to cover what had been the location of Dowling's house and the Army Post.

The naval commandant's house was built in 1900 and is today known as the Nimitz House or Quarters One-a beautiful classic revival-style home that was used by Admiral Nimitz during World War II. 1923-1936 Navy Ship Receiving Station In 1923, the Naval Training Station was moved to San Diego, and Yerba Buena Island became a ship receiving station for the Navy. In 1936, the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) began construction of the all man-made Treasure Island along the west side of Yerba Buena Island. This would become the home of the 1939-1940 Golden Gate International Exposition and the American Terminal for the Trans-Pacific Air Clipper Service of Pan American Airways. Treasure Island was originally intended to be a municipal airport after the fair, but was turned over to the US Navy when World War II began.

For more information on the fair, visit the web sites listed here: 1941-2000 Treasure Island Naval Station A portion of Yerba Buena Island and Treasure Island made up the Treasure Island Naval Station from 1941 until it was decommissioned and given to the City of San Francisco in 2000. During World War II Treasure Island Naval Station served as the headquarters for the Pacific Fleet. 1939-Present The US Coast Guard The Lighthouse Service became a part of the Coast Guard in 1939, and at that time the lighthouse lands on Yerba Buena Island came under Coast Guard control. The Coast Guard has operated on the island since then. In 1970 the current housing and administration facilities were built on the island. How San Francisco's Neighborhoods Got Their Names | Mental Floss How San Francisco's Neighborhoods Got Their Names istock Like us on Facebook San Francisco’s modern history began after the United States claimed California during the Mexican-American War in 1846. The city was originally known as Yerba Buena until Lt. Washington A. Bartlett renamed it the following year.

Since then, the city’s seven by seven miles have divided into distinct neighborhoods that have witnessed the height of the Gold Rush to LGBT rights to the current tech boom. But do you know how the city’s neighborhoods got their names? Here’s an extensive (if not quite comprehensive) list of the City by the Bay's origins. Bayview-Hunters Point Peter Merholz This hyphenated neighborhood is located at the southeastern point of San Francisco. Bayview presumably comes from its proximity to the Bay. Hunters Point is named after John, Phillip, and Robert Hunter, three brothers who acquired José Cornelio Bernal’s land in 1842. Bernal Heights IMLS Bernal Heights used to be part of Rincon de las Salinas and Potrero Nuevo. In 1839, the Mexican government granted the land to Jose Cornelio Bernal, a Spanish soldier who was part of the Anza expedition. The land was divided in the 1860s. Soon after, Irish immigrants inhabited the land as dairy farmers. The Castro torbakhopper The Castro is San Francisco’s LGBT mecca, but its name is derived from a Commanding General from the Mexican-American War, José Castro .

He led the opposition to the American occupation with Juan B. Alvarado, who served as California’s governor between 1836 and 1842. Chinatown Alden Jewell San Francisco’s Chinatown is the largest and oldest in North America. The first two Chinese immigrants arrived on the Eagle, an American brig, in 1848 . The first Asian church in North America, Old St. Mary’s, was built in 1853. Of course, people came for the Gold Rush, but other immigrants made the journey after natural disasters hit China in quick succession after their loss to Great Britain in the first Opium War. Cow Hollow recities In the mid-1800s, this neighborhood on the northeastern side of the city was called Spring Valley for its freshwater springs. But it quickly became known for something else: dairy farming. Even though the cows are gone, the name Cow Hollow stuck . Crocker-Amazon This area is named after Charles Crocker, the man who founded the Central Pacific Railroad in the 1860s, and was one of the Big Four in Nob Hill. The neighborhood is also named after Amazon Street in the Excelsior District.

Diamond Heights IMLS Diamond Heights was the last undeveloped area of Rancho San Miguel. However, after the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency was established in 1950, this area’s 300 acres became its first development project. Using a combination of federal, state, city, and county funds , the agency called the area Diamond Heights. Dogpatch The Dogpatch was called " Butchertown " until the 1960s. At the time, slaughterhouses covered the neighborhood. However, it’s unclear how it became known as the Dogpatch. One rumor is hungry canines waited for scraps of meat outside the abattoirs. Duboce Park Victor Donglaim Duboce was a lieutenant colonel during the Spanish-American War, eventually elected to be part of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. After he died in 1900, the other Supervisors named this patch of land after him. The Embarcadero Wikimedia Commons Spanish for " wharf ," the Embarcadero saw more than 700 vessels enter the waterfront district between April and December 1849. The Gold Rush wasn’t the only appeal for residents to set up camp here.

It served as one of the Barbary Coast’s premiere sites for saloons and prostitution until 1911. Mayor James Rolph cleaned up the area, favoring a produce district over debauchery. Excelsior The Excelsior was part of the Rancho Rincon de las Salinas Y Potrero Viejo. The name Excelsior Homestead was filed at city hall on April 15, 1869. Financial District Kevin Lund After the United States took San Francisco from Mexico in 1847, the traditional communal landholding system ended. The town commons and waterfront were auctioned off and land was quickly bought. But the Financial District sits on what used to be Yerba Buena Cove. It was filled in the 1850s as San Franciscans abandoned their ships to take part in the Gold Rush and the area quickly became the city’s financial center . Fisherman’s Wharf Pedro Szekely Most locals avoid Fisherman’s Wharf . Aside from astounding views of Alcatraz, it’s littered with novelty shops and souvenirs. But the incredible boats that line the Bay showcase its history .

They belong to the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Italian fishermen who were drawn to San Francisco during the Gold Rush . Forest Hill Forest Hill exists on the south and west sides of Twin Peaks. It was originally called Mount Parnassus in 1886 when Adolph Sutro planned for thousands of Bluegum eucalyptus trees to be planted in celebration of Arbor Day. However, 12 years after Sutro died in 1898, his heirs hired A.S. Baldwin to assess the land. He eventually bought the area to be developed by the Newell-Murdoch Company into a residence park, completed in 1913. It became known as Forest Hill for its pines, cypress, and eucalyptus trees. Golden Gate Park Andrew Smith Golden Gate Park was a wasteland of dunes owned by the United States government until the City and County of San Francisco’s petition for it succeeded in 1866. Surprisingly, the term “Golden Gate,” which is also the name of San Francisco’s famous bridge, doesn’t come from the Gold Rush. Its origins come from John C.

Fremont naming the Golden Gate Strait in his 1848 memoirs. Haight-Ashbury Aboutmytrip San Francisco’s hippie epicenter got its hyphenated name from two men : Henry Haight, a banker who became the 10th governor of California in 1867, and Munroe Ashbury, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors between 1864 and 1870. Both men were actively involved in the development of Golden Gate Park. Hayes Valley torbakhopper This high-end area of San Francisco used to be full of prostitution and crime . It was named after an Irish immigrant, Colonel Michael Hayes, who allegedly dueled with pistols and supported slavery. He constructed a beautiful Victorian home in the 1880s for individuals to enjoy their vices, but he also had ulterior motives: The home was a bid to extend a streetcar line into the area. Ingleside Ingle is Celtic for "fireplace," while an ingleside is the area beside it. That’s why Cornelius Stagg named his new roadhouse The Ingleside Inn in 1885.

Within a few years, locals referred to the whole area as Ingleside. Lakeshore Lakeshore gets its name for its proximity to Lake Merced. Originally named “Laguna de Nuestra Senora de la Merced” (“The Lake of Our Lady of Mercy”) by Captain Don Bruno de Heceta in 1775, the surrounding area was developed in the 1950s after the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department acquired jurisdiction from the Public Utilities Commission. The Marina Shayan Directly west of Cow Hollow overlooking the Bay is the Marina. Before its stunning houses were built, it consisted of tidal marshlands and dunes. After the devastating 1906 earthquake decimated parts of the city, residents gathered debris and put it here. It became the area’s foundation . In 1915, the Marina served as the location of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Its close proximity to the water and harbors helped inspire San Franciscans to rebuild and grow their city. The Mission Big Swift Father Palou was a Spanish priest in the 18th century. He established a church on June 29, 1776 at Laguna de Dolores.

It became the first building in the city and was named Mission Dolores. A few years later in 1783, the church moved to what we now know as 16th and Dolores. It’s the base of the Mission today. Mission Bay Eric Fredericks Mission Bay describes the neighborhood’s location , which is east of Mission and west of the Bay. The area’s development started in 1998 and showcases San Francisco’s radical growth due to the Internet, with start-up offices replacing the neighborhood’s former rail yards. Nob Hill Sharat Ganapati Nob Hill is named after its early settlers from the late 1800s. They were reportedly a highly successful, criminal bunch. “Nob” comes from Nabob, a Hindu word describing wealthy, powerful Europeans making their fortunes in the East. The “ Nobs ” included “Bonanza King” James Flood and James Fair. But perhaps most important were Mark Hopkins, Collis P. Huntington, Charles Crocker, and Leland Stanford. They were known as the Big Four , a group that invested in the first intercontinental railroad. The neighborhood remains affluent to this day (locals sometimes refer to it as “Snob Hill”).

Noe Valley torbakhopper Pio Pico, the Mexican governor of California in 1846, gave approximately one-sixth of San Francisco to Jose de Jesus Noe. The land was called Rancho San Miguel before Noe began to sell it in 1852. Today, the land he owned includes Noe Valley, the Castro, Glen Park, and more. North Beach Dustin Gaffke In its early days, North Beach was an actual beach until the coast was augmented. Immigrants from Europe, South America, and the Australian penal colonies made their way to the Barbary Coast’s North Point docks . As such, its name is a geographical marker for the neighborhood’s spot in the Bay. The late 1800s saw an influx of Italians making their way to the area, also making it San Francisco’s Little Italy . According to legend, the Italian-Americans allegedly saved the area, draping their houses in wine-soaked blankets to avoid fires caused by the 1906 earthquake. Pacific Heights Aboutmytrip Pacific Heights is south of the Marina and stands tall at 371 feet.

Similar to Russian Hill and Nob Hill, the early residents of the late 1800s were very wealthy . They made their way to the area after the cable-car line was built to the neighborhood. Parkside William Crocker bought what is now Parkside from Adolph Sutro in July 1905. Its name refers to its proximity to the trees at Pine Lake, which was then called Laguna Puerca. Potrero Hill Bernt Rostad Don Francisco de Haro, the former Alcalde of Yerba Buena, acquired a land grant in 1835 to graze cattle from the Mission, which sits directly west of the neighborhood. It was called Potrero Nuevo then, which translates to "New Pasture." The area eventually dropped its nature-inspired surname when the city’s mayor, Dr. John Townsend, divided the land into a grid in 1849. Companies like the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company and the Western Sugar refinery made the area their industrial base. Potrero stands 300 feet high. The Presidio Amanda Presidio means "fortress" in Spanish.

Established in 1776, it’s the oldest installation in the western part of the United States. It initially served as an outpost for Spain’s military until Mexico took it over. Twenty four years later, America gained control in 1846. The Presidio was an active installation until it was passed over to the National Park Service in 1994. Two years later, Congress developed a federal agency to preserve its historical and scenic integrity. The Richmond An Australian-born art dealer, George Turner Marsh, thought the Inner and Outer Richmond resembled sand dunes from Richmond, Australia. At least that’s how one story goes. Others credit a man named George Fletcher for coming up with the name. The area rose to prominence after the 24th mayor of San Francisco, Adolph Sutro, built transportation services to it. Russian Hill Patrick Nouhailler Russian Hill is known for Lombard Street’s sharp curves, beautiful architecture, and cable cars. It originated in 1850 when a minister, Bayard Taylor, discovered seven marked graves at the top of the hill, which sits at 343 feet. Little is known about who the buried men were.

Some say they were merchant sailors, while others say they were fur trappers. But their tombs were inscribed in Cyrillic, giving the hill its name. Unfortunately, the markers were removed during Russian Hill’s development in the 1850s. SoMA torbakhopper SoMA, an abbreviation for South of Market, might sound like a SoHo knockoff to New Yorkers. In a way, it is. Market Street runs from the port of San Francisco into Eureka Valley and the industrial SoMA sits directly underneath. But originally its name was South of the Slot, referring to the apparatuses that carried cable cars. Sunnyside Wikimedia Commons San Franciscan Behrend Joost was supposed to provide dredging services to create a canal in Panama in the late 1880s. It was a failed attempt, but left him with enough money to start the “Sunny Side Land Company,” which bought and developed the land in the 1890s. The Sunset SF Brit The Sunset used to be called Outside Lands , a name now reserved for the city’s yearly music and arts festival in Golden Gate Park.

However, the once barren land remained property of the United States government from 1848 until 1866, and it’s unknown exactly when Outside Lands became The Sunset. Some claim a property owner and developer, Aurelius Buckingham, named it so. A separate theory suggests the California Midwinter Fair of 1894, also called The Sunset City, was the source of inspiration. Still, there’s also speculation it was the result of a neighborhood organization. Telegraph Hill Roger Wollstadt Telegraph Hill was a semaphore built in 1849 used to identify ships entering San Francisco. The Spaniards called the area Loma Alta before that, which translates to High Hill. It also has one of San Francisco’s best landmarks, Coit Tower, as well as an invasive species of parrot, cherry-headed conures, originally from Ecuador. The Tenderloin Ken Lund The Tenderloin isn’t far from Nob Hill and Russian Hill. In fact, its boundaries are blurred. Many locals call the northern side underneath Nob Hill the Tendernob. Despite its ritzy neighbors, the Tenderloin gets a bad rap as a home to drug deals, prostitutes, and confrontational strangers.

This gritty disposition helped the Tenderloin earn its name. Police officers working there in the 1930s were compensated with higher wages , and they took to calling the area "tenderloin," after the better cuts of meat they could afford. Twin Peaks Melodie Mesiano Twin Peaks was originally called Los Pechos de la Choca in the 18th century, which translates to “Breasts of the Maiden.” The adjacent peaks’ elevation is 922 feet, giving it some of the best views of the Bay Area. The name changed after Americans took control of San Francisco in the 19th century. Union Square Tony Fischer Union Square is San Francisco’s main cultural center for retail shopping. There’s also an urban park bordered by Geary, Powell, Post, and Stockton Streets. But it was originally built and named in 1850 by San Francisco’s first mayor, John Geary, inspired by the pro-Union rallies that took place there before and during the Civil War. Visitacion Valley Wikimedia Commons Legend has it that Visitacion Valley got its name in 1777 when friars got lost in the Bay Area’s fog.

As it lifted, they found themselves in the valley on the same day as the feast of the Blessed Virgin. Some suggest they saw a vision on a rock. The Western Addition Aboutmytrip As San Francisco expanded beyond its west boundary on Larkin Street in the 1850s, the result was the geographically named Western Addition . However, this section of San Francisco can also be broken into different neighborhoods that have their own distinct names . For example, the current Japantown was built i n 1968, but its history extends back to the 1920s and 30s when Japanese immigrants filled 30 blocks. They were forced out during World War II, and in the 1950s when the area was being gentrified. The Fillmore District was named after President Millard Fillmore at the end of the 19th century. NoPA, a fairly recent term , is used to describe the area North of the Panhandle, an elongated section of Golden Gate Park. BONUS: Alcatraz Ramey Logan Spanish naval officer Lt.

Juan Manuel de Ayala called Yerba Buena Island, the small spot that sits between San Francisco and Oakland, Isla de Alcatraces, which translates to “Island of the Pelicans.” Seventy two years later, the United States military began fortifying a different island in the Bay, Alcatraz Island, inspired by Ayala’s pelicans. Yerba Buena Island: goats, bull, squatters and king - SFGate Yerba Buena Island: goats, bull, squatters and king Gary Kamiya Published 4:32 pm, Friday, November 22, 2013 Photo: Fred May, Fred May Media Relations San Fr Image 1of/2 Yerba Buena Island was named for an aromatic herb that grew there. Yerba Buena Island was named for an aromatic herb that grew there. Photo: Fred May, Fred May Media Relations San Fr Image 2 of 2 Before the Bay Bridge was constructed, Yerba Buena Island, shown in 1923, was known at various times as Sea Bird Island, Wood Island and Goat Island.

Before the Bay Bridge was constructed, Yerba Buena Island, shown in 1923, was known at various times as Sea Bird Island, Wood Island and Goat Island. Photo: Archive, The Chronicle 1923 Yerba Buena Island: goats, bull, squatters and king 1 / 2 Back to Gallery To the thousands of drivers who use the Bay Bridge daily, the 173-acre hump called Yerba Buena Island is distinguished largely by its single-bore tunnel, at five lanes the world's largest. The island's history - first as a bucolic refuge, then as a contested landmark - isn't so obvious. In the city's early days, the rocky little island - known at various times as Sea Bird Island, Wood Island and, for much of its history, Goat Island - had a freshwater spring, stands of scrub oak and ample supplies of shellfish and fish. An early American settler named William Heath Davis recalled sailing to Yerba Buena - named after an aromatic herb that grew there - on the schooner Isabel in the spring of 1840, along with four men who cut oak and loaded it on the ship.

"I took my fishing tackle, and books along. While the men were cutting wood, I fished from the shore, or read in my tent, and passed a week very pleasantly," Davis wrote in "Sixty Years in California." The Ohlone Indians who inhabited the Bay Area for thousands of years were drawn to the island. Native remnants, including worked bone and stone objects and human remains, have been discovered on Yerba Buena's northeast corner. Starting with Europeans' arrival in the Bay Area, its ownership history becomes murky. According to California historian John Hittell , Mexican Gov. Juan Alvarado granted Yerba Buena to Don Juan Castro in 1838, apparently as an outpost to fight smuggling. But other sources assert that the Mexican government gave the island to a Nantucket-born sea captain named Gorham Nye in 1835, as payment for Nye having delivered the body of Alvarado's predecessor, Gov. José Figueroa , to Mexico. Old-timers' name In any case, it was Nye who was indirectly responsible for bestowing upon the island its long-standing name, still favored by some old-timers: Goat Island.

In 1842, Nye sailed into Yerba Buena - as San Francisco was then called - aboard a ship carrying several goats, which he sold to other traders. The goats caught the attention of a colorful local character, Jack Fuller . Old Jack, as he was called, was an Englishman who did a little of everything - cooking, laundry, even tax collecting. Most of the funds he collected were taxes on aguardiente, the local brandy - a beverage he occasionally imbibed to excess himself, causing him, in Davis' words, to go harmlessly "running off the track." Goat Island omnivores Sick of eating beef, the only available meat in Yerba Buena, Old Jack proposed to the tiny hamlet's leading businessman, Nathan Spear, that they buy some of Nye's goats and put them on the island. Spear agreed, and a thriving colony of four-legged omnivores soon sprang up on what became known as Goat Island. Spear would occasionally dispatch someone to collect a kid from the island for a feast of "very palatable" meat. But interlopers soon began stealing the goats, until few were left.

Around 1849, Goat Island acquired its longest-lasting tenant, an Irishman named Thomas H. Dowling . Dowling later asserted that he had acquired title from Nye - although he could not remember exactly when - but his strongest claim was simple possession. He built a comfortable house with a truck garden, constructed a dock and started a quarry. A few years later he sent for his family, which joined him on the little island. All seemed well in Dowling's world, but as Marcia Edwards Boyes related in her 1936 book, "The Legend of Yerba Buena Island," his idyll was to take a dark turn. In 1860, one of Dowling's young children was playing on one of the scow schooners that Dowling used to transport stones from his quarry to San Francisco. A ferocious storm blew up, and the ship's moorings snapped. When the ship was smashed against the rocks, the boy was swept overboard and drowned. For years, his small white gravestone was visible at the highest point of the island. Would-be tenants In addition to personal tragedy, Dowling had to deal with constant challengers to his claim to the island.

After the world rushed in to San Francisco in 1848, claims to real estate in the instant city became confused, contentious and anarchic. Mexican land grants were ignored or litigated out of existence, bogus claims were widespread, and squatters battled over lots. Some interlopers were mere criminals. One night two men arrived on Goat Island, claiming to be castaways. Dowling took them in, fed them and gave them a bedroom, but became alarmed when he heard the telltale clicking of pistols being cocked through the wall. After he chased the would-be killers away from his room and down the stairs, they opened fire on him and a running gunbattle ensued. The land pirates fled. As time passed, numerous pleasure-seekers began to make excursions to Goat Island. They became such a nuisance that Dowling acquired a large and ill-tempered bull to scare them off. Gaining control of bull The ploy worked, but eventually the bull began to terrorize even Dowling's family and a hunting party was organized. It was not an epic safari. When the bull appeared, the hunters panicked, climbed into trees and dropped their weapons, which the bull promptly trampled to splinters.

Only when night fell were they able to lasso the bull and kill it. It was not squatters or rival claimants who finally ended Dowling's island sojourn, but the U.S. military. Citing a claim that the government owned all the islands in San Francisco Bay, the Army ejected Dowling and his family in 1867 and took over his buildings. Dowling moved to Washington, D.C., where he spent the last five years of his life fruitlessly petitioning Congress to honor his claim. It was reported that when Congress adjourned without ruling in his favor, it hastened his demise - a sad end for a man who once was king of Goat Island. Editor's note Every corner in San Francisco has an astonishing story to tell. Every Saturday, Gary Kamiya 's Portals of the Past will tell one of those lost stories, using a specific location to illuminate San Francisco's extraordinary history - from the days when giant mammoths wandered through what is now North Beach, to the Gold Rush delirium, the dot-com madness and beyond. Trivia time Last week's trivia question: Calvary Presbyterian Church moved from Powell and Geary streets to Jackson and Fillmore streets in 1900.

What was unusual about the new church building? Answer: More than 1 million bricks from the original building were used in the new church. This week's trivia question: What was San Francisco's first true skyscraper? Gary Kamiya is the author of the best-selling new book "Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco." E-mail: metro@sfchronicle.com Latest from the SFGATE homepage: Click below for the top news from around the Bay Area and beyond. Sign up for our newsletters to be the first to learn about breaking news and more. Go to 'Sign In' and 'Manage Profile' at the top of the page. Giant Slide, Carousel, Ice Skating, Bowling, Children's Creativity Museum - Review of Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco, CA - TripAdvisor Review of Yerba Buena Gardens 701 Mission St, Third and Fourth Streets, San Francisco, CA 94103-3138 (SoMa) +1 415-541-0312 More attraction details Attraction details Owner description: Five acres of shade trees and murmuring fountains which adjoin the Moscone Convention Center.

There are newer reviews for this attraction “Giant Slide, Carousel, Ice Skating, Bowling, Children's Creativity Museum” Reviewed October 15, 2014 Yerba Buena Gardens is a fun place to go with its giant slide area and carousel. The carousel is an iconic piece of San Francisco history. From 1912 to 1972 the carousel was at the Playland at the Beach, which in those days used to be a popular amusement park by the Pacific Ocean, There is an ice skating rink and also a bowling alley. While the bowling alley is smaller, it is fun to bowl a game at. The bowling alley is open to the public but can also be booked for private events. There is also the Children's Creativity Museum at this area. For food, there is a small cafe by the carousel called the Carousel Cafe where I have enjoyed coffee drinks and crepes. Visited October 2014 “Great gardens to explore with fun outdoor public art.” Reviewed October 10, 2014 Not far from the hustle and bustle of the city are the Yerba Buena Gardens which cover two city blocks.

This was a huge urban redevelopment which opened one block in 1994. The gardens are a great place to wander around or to spend some time to relax before returning to exploring wonderful San Francisco. We loved the wonderful outdoor art, some quirky, and the Memorial to Martin Luther King, unfortunately on the day of the visit the waterfall was not working due to the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival in progress. Visited September 2014 “Forget your in a city!” Reviewed September 2, 2014 We came here on the recommendation of the manager of a restaurant we were at the day before. We spent the last afternoon of our trip hanging out here and reading in the park. You forget your in the city! It was a very nice park, well kept. Only thing that kept it from 5 stars was some homeless people walking about but you can't really do anything about that in SF. Some tasty food right next door that you can grab and have a mini picnic with at the park. Plenty of shade and benches as well. Very nice park in the middle of a busy city! Visited August 2014

Question: Which American city used to be called Yerba Buena?
Answer: San Francisco